This week we had interviews with President and Sister Jones, it was good visiting with them. They wanted to know how our family(s) was doing. This gave sister Johnson and I the opportunity to do the the thing we are most happy to do...tell everyone how proud we are of the basic goodness of our children, their spouses and our grandchildren. We are so pleased with their life decisions. Their dedication to each other and their families is an inspiration to us.
Apparently no good meeting goes
unpunished as Wednesday morning dawned with the discovery of a totally flat
tire. (A sheet rock screw) The truck AAA sent to help us was a 1997 Buick driven by a man and his wife with a small electric air pump in the trunk. He proceeded to plug it into my cigarette lighter and inflate the tire. After that I had to wait to get it plugged which made us an hour late to our first
appointment. It was our first really in depth meeting with Br. Klingman. We
gave him the challenge to review a lesson on the Gift of the Holy Ghost in the Gospel Principles
manual we gave him. He is the endowed divorced member who is really struggling
with the frustration of it all. We reminded him of this Gift from God which he received at baptism. We encouraged him to avail himself of its comforting influence. He has
agreed to a weekly visit where we will review the lessons in the Gospel Principles manual
preparing him to return to the temple. Our challenge is, with the Lord's help,
to get him back into activity. The branch sure needs him.
Our visit with the
Carlson family was fruitful as well. Br. Carlson's less active sister and her non-member boyfriend and their 3 children were at our scheduled weekly meeting. Sister Johnson taught
primary concepts to the Carlson children and these new children (a total of 5). All were right at home. Sammy said he missed coming to church. We
told the parents we need to get their kids to church, they agreed. The parents
also finally divulged that the reason they quit coming to church was a
perceived racial slight on the part of some of the members and they didn't
want their children exposed...great, another challenge :)
On the way home we saw our first wild UP black bear. A
reminder that we really do live in a remarkable place.
 |
| Stock photo. NOT the bear seen by the Johnsons |
On Thursday we had a good visit with Br. Peters. Each week
our visits are getting more focused. He committed this last week to go once again to the
Lord to get an answer about baptism as we "need to take him to
the temple" before we leave. Our opinion is he still hasn't humbled
himself or he has been associated with the church so long he already has an
answer but just doesn't recognize it. We talked about families being sealed. It
struck a chord with him but he's confused because, although the rest of his
family are members and most all of them are endowed, he doesn't know where that
would leave him if/when he goes to the temple. He's not yet tuned in to being
one of the Lord's covenant people and the peace that brings, and leaving the rest up to the Lord. We are moving
forward.
Friday saw us in Iron River where we visited one of our strong members who is recovering from foot surgery. He is an original Yooper. I said it was too bad he didn't have some way to soak his foot like a new hot tub. His response, "I already have a Yooper hot tub. I just take my metal fishing boat, fill it with water and light a fire under it"! He is a very conscientious member. It is unfortunate he is not younger. He is in his seventies. In a couple of weeks I will be able to tell you more what that feels like. This man hunts and fishes for his food. He stocks his freezer, in season, and is generous with the bounty the Lord provides. Due to heart problems his doctor told him he could have only 6 oz of red meat a week. Conrad asked him about eating wild meat: venison, rabbit, squirrel, partridge, fish, etc. and was told he could have all of that he wants. Maybe another lesson about potential problems with highly processed foods?
Saturday saw us way down in Wisconsin trying to locate less active members. We did find where they were at one time, where they are now we don't know. A great, normal week.
With love,
Kent and Dawnine
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